Failure to Provide Social Services After Resident Altercation
Penalty
Summary
A resident with a diagnosis of major depressive disorder and a BIMS score indicating cognitive intactness was involved in an altercation with a roommate, during which the roommate grabbed the resident's throat. Facility documentation confirmed physical evidence of the incident, including redness on the resident's neck, and immediate interventions were implemented to separate the residents and change rooms. Despite these actions, the resident continued to experience distress and requested support in managing his emotional response to the incident, including education from a psychiatric provider. However, interviews with facility staff and review of the clinical record revealed that no social services intervention or visit was provided to address the resident's psychosocial needs following the altercation. Both the social services staff member and the Nursing Home Administrator confirmed the absence of documented social services support for the resident after the incident, resulting in a failure to provide medically-related social services to help the resident achieve the highest possible quality of life.